By Benjamin Kassogue

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The author gives a vivid description of his parents. He described his father as an alpha, hardworking, truthful, family-oriented man who genuinely believed in the importance of schooling and a ruffler of the feather figure in his community. He labels his mother as possessing uncommon characteristics. She is a dynamic and organized woman and a loyal, submissive wife, a tiger and methodical mother, and a valuable and helpful person as a woman. The author fondly remembers the peaceful, exciting, and tender years of his growing up and how his upbringing and his parents’ special care shaped his and his siblings’ lives. The Christian background of his parents meant that he and his siblings had to adhere to some nonnegotiable standards of life. His parents firmly believed that a strong upbringing in all its aspects paves the way to a successful life, and they made sure every one of their twelve children had it. The author also depicts the shock he experienced when a new Western culture clashed with his own culture during his trip to the United States of America for graduate studies. He both pleasingly and remorsefully highlights the invaluable life skills he gained during his excellent and helpful stay in the West and the less attractive demeanor of some people in his host population. He got along well with his host mom and mentor, who massively contributed to his making. The author ends his accounts by showing how he is amazed at how many people in his dear country are dealing with life. In the section about Mali Koura or New Mali, the author genuinely longs for the overall well-being of his country. He begs his people to work for justice, peace, and stability and exercise holistic self-control every day of their lives for the good of everyone if they want the Mali Koura they are talking about. He requests his people to practice what they preach and not look good citizens but be good citizens. 

Published on January 2, 2024